Body size trends along vertical and thermal gradients of chum salmon in the Bering Sea during summer

Relationships between the vertical distribution and thermal habitat, and body size of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta were studied in the Bering Sea in summer using trawl surveys at various depths. Chum salmon abundance decreased with increasing depth, but the patterns of decrease differed between size groups. The abundance of small salmon fell rapidly with depth, whereas that of large salmon decreased gradually to 40 m depth, and abruptly below that. The average fork length of chum salmon collected from each trawl correlated positively with trawl net depth and negatively with water temperature. Since the optimal temperature for growth decreases with body size in this species, the observed body size‐related vertical habitat use by chum salmon may indicate size‐dependent thermal preferences.     

渭-库绿洲土壤剖面盐分分布特征及驱动因子分析

[目的]监测渭-库绿洲土壤盐渍化的空间分布特征,探究驱动因子作用机理,对当地因地制宜进行土壤盐渍化调控。[方法]采用决策树、克里金插值和灰色关联度分析研究了渭-库绿洲土壤盐渍化的剖面分布特征,着重分析了样本点海拔、植被覆盖度、地下水位、TW( I 地形湿度指数)、地下水矿化度5个驱动因子对土壤盐渍化的影响。[结果]①研究区表层土壤(0~10 cm)属于重度盐渍化土壤,10~20、20~40、40~60 cm各深度剖面土壤属于中度盐渍化土壤。土壤EC1:5有强的空间变异性,其分布格局受灌溉等人为驱动因素的影响较大。②绿洲内部(即耕作区)表层土壤属于非盐渍化区域,绿洲东部10~20、20~40、40~60cm土层有轻、中度的盐渍化现象。绿洲内部表层以下土壤盐分高于表层,绿洲存在潜在的盐渍化风险。耕作区外围绿洲-荒漠交错带区域各剖面层均属于盐渍化区域,随着剖面深度的增加,盐渍化程度在不断减弱。③样本点海拔、植被覆盖度、地下水位、TWI、地下水矿化度与土壤EC1:5的灰色关联度大小次序为:0~10 cm土层:地下水矿化度>TWI>样本点的海拔>植被覆盖度>地下水位;10~20、20~40 cm土层:地下水矿化度>样本点的海拔>TWI>植被覆盖度>地下水位。[结论]渭-库绿洲土壤盐渍化主要分布在绿洲-荒漠交错带区域,土壤盐分表聚强烈,地下水矿化度是造成该研究区土壤盐渍化问题的首要原因。     

Benefits of using the probiotic Efinol®L during transportation of cardinal tetra, Paracheirodon axelrodi (Schultz), in the Amazon

The objective of this experiment was to test the probiotic Efinol^®L during transportation of cardinal tetra, Paracheirodon axelrodi (Schultz). For the transportation, fish were distributed in 18 plastic tanks, of which nine contained the Efinol^®L (10 mg L⁻¹; probiotic treatment) and the remaining had no probiotic (control treatment). Transport lasted 24 h and three different boxes of each treatment were sampled at 3, 12 and 24 h. Up to the 12-h sampling period, no significant difference in the survival was observed; on the other hand, survival was higher at the end of the transport (24 h) in the probiotic treatment. No significant difference was found in dissolved oxygen and temperature between treatments. Conductivity, pH and alkalinity increased along the transport, but without a difference between treatments. Ammonia increased in all treatments, although it was significantly lower in the probiotic group at 24 h. Cortisol levels were significantly higher in all transported fish when compared with the basal values. At 24 h, cortisol levels in control fish were significantly higher than those in the probiotic treatment. With the observed results, we are able to conclude that the probiotic Efinol^®L is efficient during cardinal transport, lowering the mortality and helping maintain water quality possibly by lowering metabolic wastes.     

The effects of long-day photoperiod on growth, body composition and skin colour in immature gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.)

Immature gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) with a mean initial weight of 25.6 g were reared over 11 months to market size under different photoperiods: 16L:8D; 24L:0D and a control. Differences in final mean weight were significant between the three treatments (P<0.001): 16L:8D, 465.0 g; 24L:0D, 445.9 g; control, 402.6 g. Fish from the 24L:0D consumed most while 16L:8D fish converted it most efficiently. The lipid content of fillets was lower (P<0.05) for the 24L:0D (5.37±0.16 g 100 g^?1 of fillet) than for the control (6.02±0.12 g), and the moisture content lower for the control than for either treatment groups. Skin luminosity (L^*) was directly related to the number of hours of light exposure.     

Effects of feeding frequency on growth,feed efficiency and body composition of juveniles Brazilian sardine,Sardinella brasiliensis (Steindacher 1879)

The Brazilian sardine is the most important fishery resource in Brazil. Their production has declined along the last 30 years due the overfishing, climatic and oceanographic phenomena. This study was carried out to determine the optimal feeding frequency for juvenile Brazilian sardine based on growth, feed efficiency, feed intake and body composition. Six feeding frequencies of one, two, three, four, five and six times a day were evaluated in triplicate tanks for 50 days. Fish with initial mean weight of 3.29 ± 0.56 g were fed daily to apparent satiation. The results showed that fish fed once daily had lower body weight gain, specific growth rate and condition factor (P < 0.05) compared with other treatments. The feed efficiency ratio in fish fed once daily was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those fed two or more times a day. No significant differences were observed in the coefficient of variation in body weight (P > 0.05) among the treatments. Feed intake was directly proportional to the feeding frequency. Fish fed once daily showed lower hepatosomatic and mesenteric fat indices (P < 0.05) than the other treatments. Neither protein nor ash content of fish were significantly (P > 0.05) affected by feeding frequency. However, the lipid content increased with feeding frequency. The results suggest that the optimal feeding frequency for juvenile Brazilian sardine is at least twice daily.     

牙鲆体质量与形态性状的异速生长分析

为分析牙鲆（Paralichthys olivaceus）体质量与形态性状之间异速生长的遗传规律,通过人工受精的方法建立牙鲆19个全同胞家系,测量了牙鲆不同日龄的体质量和形态性状。采用逐步回归方法建立最优联合异速生长模型,将此模型镶嵌到体质量动物模型的每个遗传和环境效应中,进一步分析对多个形态性状异速生长遗传规律。静态异速生长分析表明：体质量与全长之间存在最大异速生长指数（1.415 5）,表现为正异速生长,剩余形态性状与体质量之间的异速生长指数为0.061 5~0.718 0,皆表现为负异速生长。全长与尾柄高之间异速生长指数的正遗传相关最大（0.907 8）;全长与尾柄长之间的负遗传相关最大（0.946 8）。不同模型通过统计标准比较,确定模型Ⅰ为进行牙鲆动态异速生长分析的最优随机回归模型。     

Effects of Dietary Protein Levels on Gonad Maturation, Size and Age at First Maturity, Fecundity and Growth of Nile Tilapia

Six-week-old Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fry with an average weight (SD) of 0.51(0.2) g were reared for 140 days on five formulated, isocaloric diets of different protein levels (25, 30, 40 and 45% by dry weight). Fish fed diets of higher protein levels (40 and 45%) showed better growth and feed conversion ratio than those on lower protein levels. Fast-growing fish matured earlier. Maturation rate was affected by the dietary protein levels. Males matured earlier than females: the first mature males were recorded when they were 14 weeks old, whereas the females matured after 18 weeks. In both sexes, mean percentage of mature fish rose with increasing dietary protein level, the percentage of mature males being higher than that of the females. Similarly, the percentage of mature fish rose with the increasing age of fish, with more than 50% males and females mature at the age of 22 and 24 weeks, respectively, the exception being the 25% protein diet fed fish, where the percentage of mature fish was below 50%. In all treatments, spawning was initiated when the fish were 22 weeks old. Smallest size at spawning of males and females was 9.2 cm (13.1 g) and 8.1 cm (8.9 g), respectively, and dietary protein levels influenced the size of fish at first maturity. For both sexes, no difference was found in the gonado-somatic index (GSI) among different treatments. Fecundity increased with increasing dietary protein levels, but significant differences were found only between 40–45% and 25–35% dietary protein levels. The relative fecundity (eggs g^–1 female) was higher at the lower dietary protein levels (25–35%) than at the higher dietary protein levels (40–45%). The dietary protein levels did not have any significant influence on the size and weight of mature eggs. The chemical composition of fish and mature ovaries was significantly influenced by the dietary protein level.     

黄颡鱼的含肉率及鱼肉营养评价

本文报道了黄颡鱼的含肉率及鱼肉生化成分的测定结果。黄颡鱼含肉率平均为６７．５３％。鱼肉蛋白质、脂肪含量分别为１５．３７％和１．６１％。１７种氨基酸总量为１４．１９％,其中７种必需氨基酸含量为５．ｇｙ％。必需氨基酸量占氨基酸总量的百分比、必需氨基酸与非必需氨基酸的比值均超过ＷＨＯ／ＦＡＯ提出的标准。必需氨基酸指数为７４．３４。     

First record of infection by Trypanosoma sp. of Colossoma macropomum (Serrasalmidae), a neotropical fish cultivated in the Brazilian Amazon

Fish farming has grown rapidly in Brazil over the last two decades, due in part to the availability of water and species with potential for cultivation, such as Colossoma macropomum. This farmed fish, however, can be affected by parasitic infections with high mortality rates (>35%). The main objective of the present study was to describe the first occurrence of the Trypanosoma species in Colossoma macropomum, which occurred in fish cultured in the Brazilian Amazon region, as well as to morphologically characterize the trypomastigotes and the impact of these hemoparasites on the body condition of the hosts. The trypanosomes found in the blood of Colossoma macropomum were morphologically characterized by the size of the trypomastigote form, indicating the presence of only one morphotype. Of the 39 hosts examined from one fish farming, 41.0% were infected by Trypanosoma sp., with low levels of infection (mean blood density of 3.7/μL). The condition factor of the asymptomatic hosts was not affected by hemoparasitism. There was no correlation between the abundance of Trypanosoma sp. and the condition factor and size of the hosts. Finally, our understanding of host-parasite interactions and the detection of emerging diseases are fundamental for aquaculture.